Raised beds

This planter was set for winter with Boxwood and lovely Heuchera for winter interest. Then my bunnies got to it! They ate the Heuchera down to soil level leaving the planter looking really sad.

After looking at the bare soil for a few weeks I got tired of seeing it look so sad. I didn’t want to add more plants since I hope the Heuchera will come back next spring. Insead I filled the while planter with greens. They’re from my garden or the forest so this arrangement cost me a total of $2 (for the red ornaments).

Sammels landgård is a cosy farm, coffee shop, farm shop and garden located 20 minutes outside of Gothenburg, Sweden. We paid a visit, had a wonderful lunch and took in inspiration from the garden.

If you are in the neighbourhood it’s well worth a visit!

My husband enjoying one of the cosy seating areas in the shade

Sauna surrounded by Ferns and Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)Hedge of Marigold (Calendula officinalis). Marigold is an annual that can easily be grown from seed. I just planted them in one of my raised beds.

Large object make the space look bigger – small objects do the oppositeIt might seem odd, but one big container, shrub or tree makes an area appear bigger while many smaller objects do the opposite, especially if spread out. Use large raised beds to make a small garden appear bigger.

Wooden big raised bed with Boxwood, Heuchera ’Obsidian’ and Creeping forget-me-not Omphalodes verna Boxwoods being structure and create winter interestDeschampsia cespitosa ’Goldschleier’ (tufted hair grass) contrasts the dark Heuchera ’Obsidian’. It’s a beautiful semi-green grass that can handle sun to part shade and grows 2-3 feet tall. Mid spring bloomer Globeflower Trollius x cultorum ’Cheddar’ picks up the yellow color from the Tufted hair grass. Grows 25-27 in full sun – part shade.Columbine Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata ’Black Barlow’ picks up the dark colors of the Heuchera ’Obsidian’. Can handle sun – part sun, grows 28-30 in high and can self seed. The Creeping forget-me-not Omphalodes verna, sometime called blue-eyed Mary is a lovely ground cover that comes up early in the with fresh green leaves and tiny blue flowers. It prefers part-shade but does ok in shade as well.